


A Winter Interlude

by thegoldenkittenking (empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart)



Series: Cherokee Roses [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: 2/3 interlude, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-06 15:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11603448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empty_cup_and_a_chipped_heart/pseuds/thegoldenkittenking
Summary: A series of ficlets set between seasons 2 and 3.





	1. Sweater Weather

**Author's Note:**

> For those who are just joining us and don’t want to read the other parts in this series: a) Sophia is alive, b) Cheesecake is her stuffed cat (like stuffed animal, not taxidermied.)

This is the first house they’ve settled down in since the Farm fell. It’s eerie to walk through someone else’s home, seeing their happy family photos and knowing they are most likely dead. There’s no time for squeamishness though. Not when every passing day brings them closer to a winter with no supplies. 

So, Lori and Carol are rifling through the closets, trying to find anything that they can use. Jeans, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters. They’re estimating sizes and throwing the clothes into a giant pile for everyone to look through.

“You think that’s enough?” Lori asks, throwing the a brown pullover sweater onto the pile. I

“For now.” Carol responds . Hopefully they’ll be able to find homes and shops that are better stocked. They have almost nothing for the kids. 

Lori and Carol divide the pile between the two of them and carry it all downstairs, laying them in the middle of the living room. The group begins to pick through it and stuff sweaters and socks into the bags they’ve found and collected over the last week. Living like this, constantly running from place to place, is exhausting. Every step has to be thought out and they have to be prepared for weeks ahead. 

Carol grabs a few shirts and sweaters for her and Sophia and sets off to find her daughter. Sophia’s in the downstairs bedroom, perusing the bookshelf. Sophia has her messenger bag on the floor and is already half filled with books. She’s wearing the ugliest sweater Carol’s ever seen. It’s a garish mixture of yellow and purple and is emblazoned with cats. 

“Where’d you get that baby?” Carol asks. She's never seen anything like that in her life.

“Daryl found it and gave it to me. Well, tossed it.” Sophia pauses and looks down at it. “I love it.” 

She’s tucked Cheesecake into the front pocket, his front legs and head sticking out.   
“I’m happy you like it. And not too many books. We can’t really carry them all.” 

“I know.” Sophia sighs and begins to remove some from her bag. 

Carol leaves her to it, knowing it will be a long and painful process for Sophia to give them up. 

She passes Carl on the way back to the living room holding a cardboard box.

“Where’s Sophia?” he asks.

“In the bedroom down the hall.” 

“Cool. I found checkers and I’m gonna ask her to play with me.”  
***  
Daryl takes a few pairs of socks from the slowly dwindling pile and stuffs them into his bag. He refuses to take any sort of long-sleeved shirt or sweater. They’re the fucking worst. They just cling to his skin and confine his arms and makes him feel like he can’t fucking move. 

So he ignores them and goes about eating his dinner instead. Or what passes for dinner. More peanut butter and crackers with some squirrel he managed to bag earlier. He’s gettin’ real fucking tired of peanut butter. Something he never thought he’d ever say.

The kids have moved their game of checkers from the bedroom and into the living room instead. It’s the most unregulated game of checkers he’s ever seen. They’re clearly making up rules as they go along. Has no one never taught them how to play a damn game of checkers? Even him and Merle were taught by their old man once on those early good days he had. Still the kids seem to be having fun and fuck knows they need more days like this.

Carol ends up sitting next to him but doesn’t have food like the rest of them. Which means she’s either already eaten or gave away most of her food and ate the little that was left. He figures it’s most likely the latter. She’s gonna waste away if she keeps doing this shit.

She’s looking at him a oddly and it’s then he realizes he’s scowling at her. He tries to school his expression into a more neutral position and fails. He doesn’t have the time-- or want-- to worry about her. She’s gotta take care of herself.

“Thank you. For finding that sweater for Sophia.” 

He shrugs, ducking his head to look at his jeans. “‘’S nothin’. Only one who’d wear the damn thing anyway.” It’s by far the ugliest fucking sweater he's ever seen. But it’s thick and beggars can’t be choosers. Sophia carries that damn cat with her everywhere anyway, so he figured she’d like a sweater with them all over it. He was right. 

Carol smiles like she doesn’t quite believe his answer. “Still… She loves it.” 

Daryl has nothing to say to that so he sits and tries to ignore how close her knee is to touching his. All he can think of is all the times she’s voluntarily touched him, all the times she’s kissed him. A blush spreads up his cheeks.

Carol either doesn’t notice or refrains from remarking on his embarrassed state which his thankful for. Has no fucking clue what he’d say if she asked. 

“You didn’t grab anything.” It takes him a moment to figure out what she’s saying, realizing 

Carol’s asking why he didn’t grab a jacket or a warmer shirt. He’s still going around in his cut-off shirt, and although it’s cooling down he runs warm and can get away with it.

“Don’t like ‘em. Can’t move in ‘em.” 

Carol hums and her brow furrows. “We’ll figure something out. It’d be terrible if you froze.” She sits quietly next to him, thinking. 

They sit in silence as the rest of the group talks and laughs around them. Morale is high for the first time in days. Food and warm clothing is all it takes for spirits to be raised. 

Daryl likes it, just sitting here with Carol.   
***  
After two days, they have to leave the house they found her sweater in. Sophia isn’t thrilled about leaving. She liked the little house. It had books and beds and they were warm, even if it was only for a little bit. Now, the group is back on the road, surviving yet again.

They’ve stopped in a different neighborhood at a different house for the evening. Maybe they’ll even get to stay the night. 

Sophia’s upstairs in the second bedroom with Daryl. The group’s spread out to find supplies and more winter clothes. She’s supposed to be looking for winter coats, but it’s boring and the bookshelf it way more interesting. He’s also supposed to be looking for coats with her, since her mom had to go and try and fix up something for dinner. Daryl’s taking up all the space in the closet anyway, so she leaves him to it.

Sophia ends up sitting on the bed, half reading, half watching Daryl go through the closet. He pulls out a chunky, long-sleeved cardigan in navy blue.

“Mama used to have a sweater like that. Daddy made her throw it away though.” Sophia’d been upset to see it go. It was the softest thing ever and she loved to snuggle up against Carol when she’d read aloud to Sophia.

Daryl watches her, grunts, and crumples the sweater into a tight ball and shoves it into his bag.   
He turns back to the closet and Sophia returns to her books.   
***  
Sophia’s sitting on the pile of blankets her and her mother are using as a bed tonight. Glenn and Maggie and Lori and Carl took the two bedrooms upstairs and the rest of the group is set up in the living room. It reminds Sophia of the sleepover she went to once when Daddy was out of town. Not quite as fun though, she thinks.

Carol joins her a moment later. “Did you get this, baby?” The cardigan Daryl found earlier has been neatly folded and set on top of Carol’s pillow. 

Sophia shakes her head. “Daryl found it.”

She can see him very pointedly not watching them, cleaning his bow instead. Carol looks over at Daryl and for a moment seems like she’s going to say something. Instead she pulls on the cardigan, wrapping herself in it.

Daryl’s clearly watching them both now, but when Sophia catches his eye he blushes and goes back over his bow with his rag.

Sophia curls into her mother’s side. The cardigan is soft against her cheek. 

“You look really pretty Mama.” Sophia says. 

Carol smiles. “Thank you baby.”


	2. Target Practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl teaches Sophia some life skills for this new world.

It was a close call. A small herd surprised them, coming out of nowhere. Carol realized just how weak and useless her and Sophia are, and she’ll be damned before she loses her child again. They both need to learn how to take care of themselves. 

“I need you to teach Sophia-- and me-- how to handle a gun.” It’s more direct than she’s ever been, and it takes Daryl by surprise.

He watches her, surprised, and then nods. “Sure. Next time we get some ammo, I’ll take both of ya out.” 

Carol nods. “Great. Thanks.” Daryl turns back to his bow, the conversation at end. 

The next two houses are duds, hardly turning enough food to seem viable. Carol’s itching at the opportunity to get out and practice. But Rick won’t give them ammo until they have a surplus. Carol isn’t sure it’s ever going to happen. 

Finally, a week after she brought up the issue with Daryl, they find the ammo jackpot. The garage holds two separate safes, one for guns and the other for ammo. Both the doors are left propped open, like someone rifled through and then left in a hurry. They pull out box after box of ammo and there are still a few handguns left in the safe. Daryl grabs one and hands it to her.   
Carol takes it from him.

“I still have the one you gave me.” She says. 

“I know. That’s for Sophia. Prolly should hold onto it until she knows how not to shoot someone   
in the ass.” 

“Will you take us out later?” 

Daryl nods. “Sure will.”  
***  
Rick allows them one box of ammo to practice with. She feels like it isn’t enough, but keeps her mouth shut. They’re lucky he’d given them this much. 

Sophia trials after her, not entirely thrilled with this idea. Carol pulled her away from her book and all she really wanted to do was read.

They meet Daryl at the edge of the woods that surround the quaint one-story home. He warned the group earlier about wandering about as they are doing target practice, unless they wanted to be mistaken for a walker and end up with a bullet in the head. 

Daryl nods when they walk up and then leads them to the back of the property. It’s surrounded by a low fence on which Daryl has stacked miscellaneous bottles and cans. He splits the ammo equally between her and Sophia. 

Daryl nods to Carol. “Go ahead.” 

The first two bottles go down easy. She feels a surge of pride and aims at the third. She misses.   
So she fires again and misses. Tries to take a calming breath, and fires again. This one is so far off it hits the bottle next to it.

“You tryin’ to hit that one?” Daryl asks, sounding more curious than sarcastic.

“No.” Curbing her tone and trying her best not to snap at him.

Daryl nods and lets her continue without a word.

The sixth shot finally hits the third bottle she is aiming for. Instead of feeling proud again, she’s just frustrated and grumpy. It looks so much easier. 

She’s almost out of ammo and she has very little to show for it. Three broken bottle and a wounded ego. Bye the time her ammo runs out, she’s only hit four bottles. 

“You did good Mom.” Sophia says. She means it, Carol knows, but she feels like she could do better. So much better.

“Ain’t half bad. Okay kid. It’s your turn.” He gives her a rundown on gun safety and turns her loose. 

Carol stands next to Daryl, pride still smarting, and watches Sophia fire off two shot.

Sophia turns to them and declares, “I don’t like the gun. Can I try your bow?”

Daryl’s quiet for a moment. “Yer still too skinny.”

“I am not. I wanna try.”

“Okay then.” He hands the bow over to Sophia. She immediately drops it at her feet. “Told ya.” 

Sophia gives him a stink eye and pick up the bow again. Daryl takes the bow back and shows her the different pieces. He has her do a few dry runs first, just practicing pulling the trigger to feel the release of the bow string. Once he’s satisfied, he cocks the bow with a bolt and warns her not to pull the trigger yet. Carol watches as Daryl arranges her arms in the proper position and then helps her support the bow. Sophia fires the first bolt and misses the can by five feet.

“Now ya gotta reload.” Sophia pulls the arrow off the front and valiantly tries to cock the bow. 

She can’t even get the string to slightly bend. 

Daryl does it for her. “Gonna have to start gettin’ ya to do push-ups or somethin’.”

Sophia wrinkles her nose. “No thank you.” 

Sophia, with Daryl’s help, aims and shoots again. By the time she makes it through the quiver she’s hit a can and a bottle square and and is very pleased with herself.

“Gotta go collect them bolts now.” 

“Okay.” Sophia responds and runs out to gather them. 

On their left a small group of walkers has formed, drawn by the gunfire. Daryl hands her the ammo that Sophia was supposed to use. 

“Here.” 

Carol reloads her gun and takes aim. It takes only six bullets to take down all four walkers. Daryl nods and gives her one of his almost smiles as she beams back at him. Maybe she isn’t as terrible as she thinks she is.

Sophia’s back with all the bolts. “Can I try again?

Daryl shrugs. “Sure.”   
***  
Daryl sits in the living room, but slightly apart from the rest of the group. He’s still not completely used to being surrounded by people all the time, and it’s easier if he hangs out on the edges. Carol’s managed to whip together some sort of dinner. Her ability to make a meal out of nothing never ceases to amaze him.

He wonders if he can find a kid’s bow or a lighter bow for Sophia. She loves his bow and prefers using it over a gun. Maybe if they find a sporting goods store or some shit like that he can find one. 

He’s too busy musing to notice Carol sitting next to him, offering him a bowl.

“Thanks.” He says, taking it from her.

“If I don’t bring it you won’t eat.” 

“I would. Just waitin’ for the rush to die down.” 

She smiles at him and sits on his left. Not too close, but close enough to make it clear they are sitting together. Daryl shifts awkwardly, but doesn’t move away.

“Thank you. For today. I really appreciate it.” Carol says, breaking the silence.

“S’nothin’.” He can feel a blush spread across his face.

“Where’d you learn to use a crossbow?” She asks. 

It’s an innocent question but it dredges up all sorts of shit in his past.

“My daddy.”

Carol sense his mood and doesn’t push. He’s trying to come up with something to ask her, he’s shit at small talk, when Sophia comes up to them, fiddling with Cheesecake.

“Do you.. Can you talk me out tomorrow too? I really liked learning the crossbow.” 

“Sure.” It pops out of his mouth before he can even think about what he’s agreeing to. Sophia looks so fucking thrilled though, that he can’t take it back. Not like he really wants to.  
***  
A few weeks later, Daryl comes back from a run carrying a bundle. He passes it off to Sophia who opens it and squeals. It’s a smaller version of his own bow.

“Now ya don’t have to use mine anymore.”

Sophia thanks him profusely and runs up to Carol. “Mom? Mom, look what Daryl got me! I love it!”

Carol smiles at him across the room and Glenn looks on, shaking his head.

“Man you just earned a shitton of points.” 

“Points?” Daryl asks, confused. What the fuck is he saying?”

Glenn just walks out of the room, muttering how Dixon has more game than he does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't think Sophia will cover her bow in cat stickers, you are severely mistaken.  
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Questions and Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glenn and Maggie have questions about Daryl and Carol's relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So Annie on Ninelives sent me a prompt-- and I paraphrase-- where Daryl hovers protectively and Carol and Daryl watch one another. Light on Sophia but she should be back.   
> Set sometime after Target Practice and like WAY in the future.

“Do you think he knows?” Glenn asks.

“Who knows what?” Maggie looks up at Glenn from where she is sitting on the floor. They’re using an old barn for shelter for the night. No food and only some old horse blankets for warmth. She misses the decrepit cottage that was so small it forced them to nearly sleep on top of each other already.

“Daryl.”

“Daryl knows what?” she asks.

“That he like… follows Carol and Sophia around. Any time one of them moves to a new area, he goes after them and hovers.” 

“No he doesn’t.” Maggie shakes her head. 

“Yeah he does.” Glenn looks at her, taking in her disbelieving expression. “No really! He does. Just watch him.” 

They both look over to Daryl, who’s sitting behind and to the left of Carol. There’s at least three feet of space between them, no indication that he is sitting next to her on purpose. Like he doesn’t want to be near her, just happens to be.

“So? He’s just near her.”

“Maggie, watch him. There’s a pattern.”  
***  
Maggie starts paying attention. Watches Daryl come and go, trying to figure out if what Glenn said holds any merit. It takes only two days to figure out that it is true. She can’t believe she never realized it before, it’s so obvious once you even pay the slightest attention. Wherever Carol sits, Daryl does. Wherever her sleeping bag is laid out, Daryl’s ends up between her and any door-- and puts three feet between them. Maggie thinks he has no idea what he’s doing, it’s to innocent to be anything but subconscious.

“I think he likes her.” Maggie whispers. Her and Glenn are away from the group, but not by much. She doesn’t want anyone to overhear them. Everyone has settled for the night and-- as her hypothesis predicted-- Daryl is between Carol and the door with three feet between them.

“What?”

“Daryl. I think he likes Carol.”

“Like likes likes her?” Glenn asks.

“If you want to be nine about it.”

Glenn’s quiet, reviewing the information she presented.

“Nah. Daryl can’t… He won’t… It’s probably like a brotherly thing, y’know. Like a protective big brother thing.” 

“Mmmmm… No Glenn. He likes her. And she likes him. Likes likes him.”

“No!” Glenn exclaims, way too loud.

“Shhhhh! Yes. I bet by the end of next year, they’re together.” 

Glenn’s staring at her wide eye. “Why would Carol… I don’t understand.” 

Maggie shrugs. “That’s how it is. I don’t make the rules.”

Glenn hmms and haws over her prediction, unbelieving. She sees what’s in front of her, and honestly it’s really cute. 

Like, disgustingly so.  
***

This is the type of house Carol always dreamed of. Open-concept with wide window and one-story. No having to drag a vacuum up a flight of stairs. She used to drive past these houses with jealousy. Now she can only view all the things she loved as dangers. The wide windows offer little protection for walkers or humans, a lack of stairs mean there’s nowhere to go but out.   
Carol sits at the end of the bed in the master bedroom, running her fingers along the plush duvet, and sighs. 

“Lori made dinner. You comin’?” Daryl grumbles. She turns to find Daryl standing in the doorway. 

“Yeah. I used to love this kind of house. Now they’re just dangerous.” Carol says wistfully.

Daryl shrugs. “‘S a house. Better than sleepin’ on the ground.” There’s been a dearth of shelters since they hunkered down in the barn 

“That’s true. I think my back still hurts from that one clearing,” she says with a light laugh. 

Daryl’s brows furrow. “I got some ibuprofen. Ya need any?” 

Carol shakes her head, a small smile on her lips. “No. I’m fine. Thank you though.” 

She stands up and walks past him and touches his arm lightly as she brushes past. He flinches slightly but doesn’t move back. He follows her back to the living room and sits next to her.

They’re halfway through their meal when Daryl says quietly, “Glenn and Maggie are starin’ at us.”

“What?” 

“Look.” He tips his head to his right where Maggie and Glenn are obviously watching them. Glenn immediately looks down when she catches his eye, but Maggie continues to stare, eyes narrowed. 

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask them,” Carol responds.

“Been doin’ it for the last week. ‘S real weird.”

“That is weird.

She wonders what could have prompted this but comes up with nothing. It’s still on her mind when they go to bed. Sophia’s curled up behind her, her face pressed into Carol’s back, and 

Carol’s turned toward Daryl, watching him breathe. 

There’s something comforting in knowing he’s right there.  
***

“They’re onto us.”

“Glenn calm down. You make it sound like we’re stalkin’ them or somethin’.”

“It’s just… It’s weird thinking about them like that. Maggie, you really think Carol’s into him?”

“Course. She watches him all the time.”

“So?”

“You looked at me quite a lot. How did you think I knew you wanted to have sex with me?” 

“Huh.”  
***  
Carol keeps looking over her shoulder, expecting him to be there. He’s always there, in her line of sight. Not even watching her or anything, he’s just there. Taking care of his bow, showing Sophia how to take care of hers, sometimes just sitting quietly. 

He’s only out hunting, she reminds herself. Daryl will be back soon with the rabbits he promised her.

He will.

When he finally walks through the door, relief spreads through her body. She gives him a brilliant smile and he quirks his lips back at her shyly.

They eat the rabbits he brought back and laugh and chat over dinner. It’s the most relaxed the group has been in a while, and Carol can feel herself relaxing as well. Even Daryl seems looser, sitting closer to her than he has ever. 

They keep catching one another’s eyes and Carol can feel a blush forming on her cheeks. She can’t stop looking at him and she has a feeling it’s the same for him. It’s silly, they’re not together by any means, but she needs to reassure herself that he’s here. She wonders if he’s doing that with her too. 

The thought makes her feel giddy and the slightest bit shy.  
***  
“Oh my God Maggie, you’re right. They’re totally in love.”

“I told you. Beth thinks they’ll be together by the end of the winter and Daddy thinks it’ll be another year after that. Says Daryl wouldn’t be able to notice his feelings if they hit him with a brick.”

“You’ve been talking about this with Beth and Hershel?”

“Well, you weren’t being any help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I’m still taking prompts for this.


	4. A Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sophia has a present for Daryl

“Mom?” Sophia calls. 

“What is it baby?” 

“Can we use this?” Sophia asks.

“Use what Sophia?” 

Carol looks up from cleaning her gun to see Sophia lugging a huge basket filled with yarn down the stairs.

“Mom, there’s yarn. And knitting needles and crochet hooks! We could use this right? To make like hats and scarves and stuff?” 

Sophia’s bouncing on her toes, pleased with herself.

“We definitely can.” 

“And you can finally teach me how to crochet!” Sophia’s been wanting to learn for months now and it was something Carol couldn’t find the time for Before and After it was a constant battle to just stay alive. No chance to try and sit down and teach Sophia. No supplies anyway. 

Now, though, they have plans to stay in this house for a few days. Just to catch their collective breath. It’s a well-stocked house. Plenty of food left on the shelves and in the cellar there’s even pickled vegetables and preserved fruit. A well-needed break after five weeks of running.  
***  
Carol’s sitting on the living room floor with Sophia, showing her how to chain. Sophia fumbles trying to push the hook back through the chain, scowling the entire time. 

“Are sure you don’t wanna start with a scarf?” Carol asks.

Sophia shakes her head. “No. I wanna do a hat.” 

“All right baby.” 

Carol helps her start on the first row of single crochet stitches. Maggie wanders over and sits next to them. 

“Mom’s teaching me how to crochet,” Sophia says, quickly looking up from her project.

“I see that.” Maggie smiles at Sophia. “I was wonderin’ if you could teach me too. I always wanted to learn.”

“Of course. Here, let’s get you started.” Carol hands Maggie a hook and yarn and starts her working on a chain.

Glenn comes over a few minutes later also interested in learning how to crochet. Carol has an entire group in a matter of minutes, gathered around her waiting to learn.  
***  
Sophia pulls out the different types of yarn, trying to find the best one. She abandoned her first hat when she realized it was too small for him, and she needs to make it better. 

Sophia narrows it down to three: a heavier black yarn, a scratchy dark blue, and a very soft dark gray. She can’t decide between the three. It takes almost two hours but she finally decides on the gray. Mostly because it’s so soft but also she thinks it’s the color that suits him the best.  
Sophia tries to keep all of the advice Mama gave her in mind as she works slowly on the hat.  
She wants it to be perfect.  
***  
By the third day Carol is teaching a class. Lori, Carl, and Beth have joined besides Maggie and  
Glenn and T-Dog has started to teach them all how to knit. 

“My grandma taught me,” he said with a laugh, “Never thought I’d ever have to use it.” 

Hershel participates occasionally and Rick’s too busy anxiously checking the perimeters to pay them much mind, but Daryl sits on the sidelines watching. 

Carol wonders if he’s too shy or if it’s a fear of participating in something strongly coded feminine. She wants to ask him but she’s afraid the question will scare him away. They have a tenuous friendship. Carol walks on eggshells around him. It’s a bit like gaining the trust a wild animal. Any sudden movements will scare him off. 

Carol leaves her ragtag group and sits next to him on the floor. He looks up at her and gives her a quirk of his lips. 

Someday she’ll get a real smile out of him.

“It’s nice to be able to give something back.” Carol looks over at her group and he follows her gaze. 

“Yer gettin’ real good with that gun. Gonna be a sharpshooter in no time.” He watches her with a steady gaze, picking up her unspoken insecurity that lies between them. The idea she’ll always be a burden haunts her. She is hitting more targets than she misses, but she isn’t good enough to feel competent. Teaching this skill makes her feel useful in a way cooking and cleaning never quite manages to do. 

“Won’t you come over? And sit with us?” Carol almost offers to teach him but rejects it at the last moment. 

“‘M good here.” 

Carol decides not to push it. Not today. So she nods and smiles. “Well you’re always welcome to join us.”

Carol gets called over a moment later. Sophia needs her help with perfecting the double crochet stitch. Carol sits next to her daughter but watches Daryl out of the corner of her eye.  
***  
Daryl listens to the crochet group chat as he cleans his bow for the evening. He likes it, his having space but still close enough they pull him into the conversation a few times. It’s usually Carol, who asks him something and gives him a smile that makes him blush a bit. Thankfully the light is to low for her to see it.

He thinks over her offer yesterday. It was genuine, he’s learned to expect that from her. No games, just honesty-- except for the times she teases him. Hasn’t happened often-- the teasing seems accidental-- but it makes him blush and his stomach flip. It’s a weird flip to-- not one brought on by shame. No it’s something else. He was too shy to take up learning with the rest of them. Scared they’ll give him shit for it. Like Merle would if he knew Daryl was doing some pussy ass shit like learning how to crochet. 

So he sits on the sidelines, soaking up their conversation. Fiddles with his bow even though this is his second time cleaning it. Needs an excuse to sit so close though, can’t just hang around them all. 

He’s considering taking out the guns to clean them when Sophia comes up to him. Her hands are behind her back and she looks downright shy.

“Ya need somethin’?” he asks, and cringes when it comes out to defensive. Doesn’t wanna scare her off. 

Sophia shakes her head. “No. I, uh, I made this for you.” 

She hands over a bundle of gray. Daryl takes it from her and spreads it out on his lap. It’s a hat.  
Or so he thinks. It’s a bit lumpy and skews heavily to the left.

No one’s made him a goddamn thing before.

Sophia’s watching him, a worry line creasing her forehead. He’s gone too long without saying anything and now she thinks he hates it.

Daryl clears his throat. “It’s great. Ya did real good.” 

Sophia beams. Daryl wonders how much shit she made her daddy to have him throw it back in her face. Tell her it was shit or was just an ungrateful fuck. Often if her complete joy over how much he likes it is any indication. 

“I’m really happy you like it! It’s a gift. For helping me with my bow and stuff.” 

Carol’s watching them now, a soft smile on her face. Daryl can feel a blush rising on his cheeks once he realizes everyone’s watching them.

“Ain’t a bother. Yer a good student.” 

Sophia bounces over to her mother and starts up another project. Carol’s still looking at him though, smiling. 

He ducks down and runs his fingers over the incredibly soft wool hat.  
***  
“I like your hat Daryl.”

Daryl looks up at Glenn who’s standing in front of him. He’s taken every opportunity to wear the damn thing. Sophia’s incredibly happy whenever he has it on.

“Thanks,” he replies suspiciously. There’s an ulterior motive here, he can’t figure it out though.

“Looks good on you.” 

“Ya want somethin’?” Daryl snaps. He dislikes the scrutiny.

“Nope.” 

Glenn scurries off to talk to Maggie, heads together whispering. They occasionally cast him a glance and go back to muttering. 

Their behavior has grown fucking weird over the last few weeks and he can’t make heads or tails of it. Decides to put it out of his mind and picks up his bow.

He needs to catch Carol something for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm taking prompts for this. Leave them here of message me on tumblr @ thegoldenkittenking


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